Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ radiator

Vehicles you don't see on the road anymore

I truly hope that the 396 was swapped in , and it wasn't a Z-16 car.

I am not sure of model designation. But I do know that it was factory installed 396. It was owned by Racers Exchange Speed Shop in the Twin Cities. The original Racer Exchange started in the mid 70's and was based in Bloomington and at one time had three stores in the Twin cities owned by Tom & Dick Davis until the early 90's.
Here is another one of the cars they ran, not sure what body that was.
RE Car Elko.jpg
 
I am not sure of model designation. But I do know that it was factory installed 396. It was owned by Racers Exchange Speed Shop in the Twin Cities. The original Racer Exchange started in the mid 70's and was based in Bloomington and at one time had three stores in the Twin cities owned by Tom & Dick Davis until the early 90's.
Here is another one of the cars they ran, not sure what body that was.
View attachment 651124

Wow ! In 1965 there were only 201 factory 396 Malibu SS built . The fuzzy photo above looks like a 66 Chevelle , the 396 was very available in 66.
It was the 60's , guys didn't think twice about cutting up some rare car to build a roundy rounder.
 
Wow ! In 1965 there were only 201 factory 396 Malibu SS built . The fuzzy photo above looks like a 66 Chevelle , the 396 was very available in 66.
It was the 60's , guys didn't think twice about cutting up some rare car to build a roundy rounder.

How it should be tbh
 
Was your '56 Ford a 272 or 292? I've owned multiple '56 Victorias in my time, as well as a Crestline 2-door hardtop. The '56 Ford is my favorite car of all time.

It was the Thunderbird 312 4 bbl. with automatic. That car was cool it had under 20 thousand on the odometer. When I got it it also still had original title issued in 1956 and original window sticker. Under the front seat I found a traffic ticket dated 1956 from Missoula Montana that was NOT PAID. It had tear off stub showing a one dollar fine was owed. For kicks I was going to find an old dollar and postage stamp and mail it in. Decided against it figuring they may not have sense of humor and track me down. I really liked that car. It had THUNDERBIRD emblems on front fenders.
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There may be more available today than what GM built back then. Cloning rare vehicles seems to be a thing these days.

Which makes it a bigger bummer if it was real . I can't tell you how many 69 Camaro SS I've seen with a 10 bolt and rear mono leaf springs , and oh don't forget 9" front drum brakes . :rolleyes:
 
Back when Plymouth had the SUPERBIRDS, I worked as a tech at Hogan Motors Chrysler Plymouth dealer in Concord Mass. We had 2 Superbirds that they could not sell. Customers thought they were ugly. Mike Hogan, the owner, had our body shop take the wings off and change the fronts to look like regular Roadrunners. Both then sold. Kind of a REVERSE cloning.
 
Back when Plymouth had the SUPERBIRDS, I worked as a tech at Hogan Motors Chrysler Plymouth dealer in Concord Mass. We had 2 Superbirds that they could not sell. Customers thought they were ugly. Mike Hogan, the owner, had our body shop take the wings off and change the fronts to look like regular Roadrunners. Both then sold. Kind of a REVERSE cloning.

Oh for a time machine for just a day...
 
It was the Thunderbird 312 4 bbl. with automatic. That car was cool it had under 20 thousand on the odometer. When I got it it also still had original title issued in 1956 and original window sticker. Under the front seat I found a traffic ticket dated 1956 from Missoula Montana that was NOT PAID. It had tear off stub showing a one dollar fine was owed. For kicks I was going to find an old dollar and postage stamp and mail it in. Decided against it figuring they may not have sense of humor and track me down. I really liked that car. It had THUNDERBIRD emblems on front fenders.
View attachment 651202

Yeah, I couldn't see the Thunderbird emblem, and wasn't aware that a Club Sedan would have the 312 option. I remember getting into quite the discussion at a car show with a '56 Thunderbird owner about the availability of the 312 in anything other than the T-bird. He insisted that it could only be had in the Thunderbird, while I knew differently. Love your car, and the story to go along with it. Thanks for sharing! :)
 
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Back when Plymouth had the SUPERBIRDS, I worked as a tech at Hogan Motors Chrysler Plymouth dealer in Concord Mass. We had 2 Superbirds that they could not sell. Customers thought they were ugly. Mike Hogan, the owner, had our body shop take the wings off and change the fronts to look like regular Roadrunners. Both then sold. Kind of a REVERSE cloning.

That was actually a common thing to move those cars. There are some winged MoPars out there with documentation of sitting on dealer lots for a year or two before selling, and most of those had their nose and wing removed. I knew a guy who built a Daytona clone 20 some years ago and the nose he got came from an old dealership that did just that and put it in storage.
 
Yeah, I couldn't see the Thunderbird emblem, and wasn't aware that a Club Sedan would have the 312 option. I remember getting into quite the discussion at a car show with a '56 Thunderbird owner about the availability of the 312 in anything other than the T-bird. He insisted that it could only be had in the Thunderbird, while I knew differently. Love your car, and the story to go along with it. Thanks for sharing! :)

Even a Chevy guy can know you could get a 312 in a 56 Ford . :unsure:
 
That was the BEST Vette in my opinion. Back in 1969 I had a buddy that got drafted and offered me his 63 for $1500. Like a fool I passed on it.

Growing up in 1977, we had a neighbor that offered his 63 Vette StingRay to me and my little brother for $8500.00 . It was perfect condition , 327 , 4 spd. ,silver , alloys , and side exhaust. Of course when you're in high school , and driving a $ 60.00 , 65 BelAir it might as well been a million bucks !
 
Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ radiator